Puyallup, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- RS-35/10/08/06 permitted-use height
- 36 ft
- RS-04 permitted-use height
- 28 ft
- Conditional-use height, RS-35 to RS-06
- 28 ft
- Conditional-use height, RS-04
- 25 ft
- ADU height
- Matches principal dwelling
- Governing table
- PMC § 20.20.020
Summary
Table 20.20.020 caps outright-permitted residential structures at 36 feet in Puyallup's RS-35 through RS-06 zones and 28 feet in RS-04, while structures needing a conditional use permit are held to 28 feet in RS-35 through RS-06 and 25 feet in RS-04, under PMC § 20.20.020.
RS-35 RS-10 RS-08 RS-06 RS-04 ... (9) Maximum building height—permitted uses 36 36 36 36 28 (10) Maximum building height — conditionally permitted uses 28 28 28 28 25
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4985225; v6 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
PMC § 20.20.020's Table 20.20.020 sets two separate height ceilings for every RS single-family zone. A structure built as an outright permitted use may reach 36 feet in RS-35, RS-10, RS-08 and RS-06, dropping to 28 feet in the highest-density RS-04 zone. A structure that requires a conditional use permit, rather than being permitted outright, is held lower: 28 feet in RS-35 through RS-06, and 25 feet in RS-04.
These are the baseline residential height limits; several other provisions can lower or match them for specific structures. Under PMC § 20.20.010(11)(h), an accessory dwelling unit is capped at the same height allowance as the principal dwelling on the lot rather than a separate ADU-specific figure. A senior housing complex within 50 feet of RS-zoned property is separately limited to no more than two stories under PMC § 20.20.010(15)(c), regardless of the district's general height ceiling.
The table applies uniformly across the five RS zones that make up Puyallup's single-family residential land, and it was last amended by Ordinance 3324 in 2025 before the 2026 codification recorded at Ordinance 3341. A home exceeding the applicable height for its permitted or conditional status without an approved permit is treated as a Title 20 zoning violation and enforced under PMC § 20.95.020.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the applicable 36-, 28- or 25-foot height ceiling in Table 20.20.020 without an approved conditional use permit is a Title 20 zoning violation. PMC § 20.95.020 makes each day of the violation a separate misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $100 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both, plus city enforcement costs, and it is also a Class I civil infraction under PMC Chapter 1.02.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can I build a house in Puyallup's RS zones?
How tall can an accessory dwelling unit be?
Are there lower height limits for larger residential buildings?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Puyallup
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle structure height limits.